Method of creating marginally reduced reproductions of design elements



- March 10,1942. 0. R. HUGGINS 2,275,589

METHOD OF CREATING A MARGINALLY REDUCED REPRODUCTION OF A DESIGN ELEMENT Filed May 3, 1938- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q 2 NVET 'OR BY ala/Z15? .ATTORNEY O. R. HUGGINS METHOD OF CREATING A MARGINALLY REDUCED March 10, 1942. 2,275,589 I REPRODUCTION OF A DESIGN ELEMENT Filed May 3, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR A TTORNEY Patented Mar. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF CREATING MARGINALLY RE- DUCED REPRODUCTIONS OF DESIGN ELEMENTS Owen R. Huggins, South Norwalk, Conn., assignor to Linotone Corporation, a corporation of New York ' 8 Claims.

This invention relates to photo-mechanical methods of creating a marginally reduced reproduction of a design element, and it is a continuation-in-part of U. S. Patent No. 2,191,483, granted to me February 27, 1940.

As stated in that patent various photo-mechanical methods have already been proposed for creating such reproductions, but these methods have met with little or no success r a o mercial standpoint, especially when employed in connection with the production of printing surfaces, as evidenced by the fact that such reproductions are still being produced by the old and well known pantograph method, which method is a long, tedious, and expensive operation, particularly when the design element is intricate.

The present invention aims to avoid these objectionable factors, and to so simplify the operation that a marginally reduced reproduction of a design element may be produced speedily,

accurately, and at little expense as compared with the more complicated procedures heretofore employed.

For a complete description as to how the improved process is carried out reference may be made to the accompanying drawings wherein the design element is shown, by way of example, as consisting of three squares. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to marginally reducing the reproduction of this particular design, but is applicable as well to the marginal reduction of other designs.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of apparatus employed in practicing the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing a full size reproduction of a design element on a light sensitive member;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the marginal reduction created on the reproduction when the positive is moved edgewise in one direction;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the marginal reduction created on the reproduction when the positive is moved edgewise in the opposite direction; and,

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the marginal reduction created on the reproduction when the positive is moved edgewise in all directions or, in other words, when the positive is revolved in a circular path.

In practicing this invention, a positive Ill comprising a non-light reflecting image I I of a given design element is created on a light reflecting surface or member I2, either by hand or by photography. The positive I0 is then mounted n a copy board I3 which, as shown in Fig. l, is positioned before the lens I4 of a camera I5 having a light sensitive member I6 mounted therein, and light from any suitable source is directed against it. The camera is then focused for sharpness and ize in the manner well understood in the art. The copy board I3 i then revolved in a circular path having a radius equal to the distance that it is desired to marginally reduce the reproduction, and while the copy board I3 is revolving the shutter of the camera I5 is opened to expose the light sensitive member I6 to the positive on the copy board. For details of mechanism that may be employed for focusing and revolving the copy board I3 reference may be made to the abovementioned patent.

During the exposure, a marginally reduced reproduction of the non-light reflecting image II remains unaffected on the light sensitive member l6, but the remaining exposed portion of the member is subjected to the action of light reflected by the surface I2. In consequence, when the member I6 is removed from the camera and developed, marginally reduced reproductions of the design elements are created which may thereafter be used to create a printing member.

To more readily understand how the marginally reduced reproduction of the design element is created, let it be assumed that the positive I0 remains stationary while the light sensitive member I6 is exposed thereto. Under these conditions, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2, exact reproductions ll of the three design elements remain unaffected by light on the light sensitive member I6 while the remaining exposed portion I8 of the member I6 is subjected to the action of light reflected back through the lens I4 from the light reflecting surface I2 of the positive I0. Now, let it be assumed that the positive In is moved edgewise in one direction a distance (d), as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3. Under these conditions, a marginal band I9 ((1) distance in width of the reproductions I1 which remained unaffected during the initial exposure is subjected to the action of reflected light and, as a result, the width of the light unaffected reproductions I! of the elements I I on the member I6 is reduced accordingly. In like manner let it be assumed that the positive I0 is moved edgewise in the opposite direction a distance (d as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4. Under these conditions, a marginal band 20 (d distance in width on the opposite side of the reproductions I! which also remained unaffected during the initial exposure is subjected to the action of reflected light and, as a result, the width of the light unaffected reproductions ll of the elements II on the member I6 is again reduced accordingly. In consequence, if the positive I is moved edgewise in all directions a distance (d), as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5, or, in other words, if the positive I0 is revolved in a circular path having a radius of ((1) distance the light unaffected reproductions ll of the design elements II on the member is reduced marginally a distance (d) on all sides without, however, accomplishin a proportionate reduction in the distance between centers of the reproductions l1, indeed the distances between certain of the reproductions Il may, depending on the original focusing of the camera I5, be increased or decreased any desired distance without relation to the marginal reduction of the three elements ll of the design.

While in the present embodiment of the in vention, marginally reduced reproductions of the design elements H are created on the light sensitive member It by revolving the positive II) in a circular path during exposure, equally favorable results may be obtained by other arrangements as, for example, by revolving the light sensitive member 16 relatively to the positive H], or by revolving the lens 14 of the camera l3 relatively to both the positive l0 and the light sensitive member Hi; the essential feature in all cases being that the light reflected from the positive I0 is so controlled that the reproductions of the elements on the member l6 are reduced marginally around the periphery thereof.

I claim:

1. In the method of creating a marginally reduced reproduction of a design, the steps which include providing a positive of said design, exposing a light sensitive member solely to said positive, and creating revolving movement between said positive and said member during said exposure to create on the member a marginally reduced light unaffected reproduction of said design.

2. In the method of creating a marginally reduced reproduction of a design, the steps which include providing a positive of said design, exposing a light sensitive member solely to said positive, and revolving said positive in a circular path during said exposure to create on the member a marginally reduced light unaffected reproduction of said design.

3. In the method of creating a marginally reduced reproduction of a design, the steps which include providing a positive of said design, exposing a light sensitive member solely to said positive, and revolving said positive in a circular path during said exposure to create on the member a light unaffected reproduction of said design reduced marginally a distance corresponding to the radius of the circular path through which said positive is revolved.

4. In the method of creating a marginally reduced reproduction of a design, the steps which include providing a positive of said design, exposing a light sensitive member solely to said poitive, and rotatably shifting the relationship between said member and the image forming light rays produced during said exposure to create on the member a marginally reduced light unaffected reproduction of the design.

5. In the method of creating a reproduction of adesign comprising a plurality of elements, the steps which include providing a positive of said design, exposing a light sensitive member directly to said positive, and creating relative movement between the image forming light rays produced and said member whereby the reproductions of the element on said member are reduced marginally without proportionate change in the distance between their centers.

6. In the method of creating a reproduction oi a design comprising a plurality of elements, the steps which include providing a positive of said design, exposing a light sensitive member solely to said positive, and revolving said positive in a circular path during said exposure to create on the member light unaffected reproductions of said elements reduced marginally and without proportionate change in the distance between their centers.

7. In the method of creating a marginally reduced reproduction of a design, the steps which include providing a positive of said design, mounting said positive on a copy holder of a camera, exposing a light sensitive member solely to said positive, and creating revolving movement between said positive and said member during said exposure to create on the member a marginally reduced light unaffected reproduction of said design.

8. In the method of creating a marginally reduced reproduction of a design, the steps which include providing a positive of said design, mounting said positive on a copy holder of a camera, exposing a light sensitive member solely to said positive, and revolving said copy holder during said exposure to create on the member a marginally reduced light unaffected reproduction of said design.

OWEN R. HUGGINS. 

